


Getting Along

by Vizkopa



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Reader Insert, op
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-17
Updated: 2015-03-17
Packaged: 2018-03-18 07:35:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3561512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vizkopa/pseuds/Vizkopa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Why the hell did you suddenly care what he thought of you?</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Getting Along

Since the day you had been hired at Galley-La Company, Paulie had given you hell. From day one, he had been on your case about how you were ‘a distraction to the men’ and shouting at you to ‘have some decency’. Not that you cared. You took his abrasive comments in stride, holding your head high as you went about your day. 

The other workers saw you as a valuable commodity, and you suspected it wasn’t just because of your skills with a hammer and saw. You regularly caught their eyes wandering a little too far from your face and you would often call them out on it. They would laugh it off and clap you on the back in a friendly, joking manner, but as you walked away you knew exactly where their gazes were directed.

For the most part though, you were treated as an equal, something you never expected to find at the Company. You came to enjoy the companionship of the shipwrights, and they you, accepting you with open arms.

Except for Paulie, of course.

One particularly warm morning on Water 7, you paused in your work to wipe the beading sweat from your brow. Summer was fast approaching and thus, so was the busiest time of the year for Galley-La. It was the time of year that saw hundreds flocking to the seas for leisure and sun, which of course meant a huge influx of orders for cruise ships.

You looked around you at the men working away, each and every one of them sweating up a storm under the sweltering sun. Shirt after shirt was peeled from hot, sticky skin and cast aside to reveal scores of muscled sweat-slicked chests. You did not blush – it was a common sight for you – but you could not stop the grin from spreading across your face at the sheer amount of eye-candy that surrounded you. This job certainly had it perks…

From the corner of your eye, you caught sight of Rob Lucci, the town heart-throb as he followed after the other men, his white tank cast aside to reveal his lean torso, muscles rippling and straining against his suspenders. He noticed you watching and offered you a small smirk before returning to his work, making sure to give you the best possible view. 

You blushed – he was the only one that could make you – and turned back to your own work, wiping the newly formed sweat from your brow once more with the sleeve of your flannel shirt, before deciding it would be best to just be rid of the shirt completely. You did so to a chorus of whistles, and you rolled your eyes as you tucked the shirt into you belt to keep it off the dusty ground. The white tank you wore underneath clung to your skin with and unpleasant stickiness and even in short shorts, you found no respite from the heat. You grimaced.

“Damn this heat,” you growled to Kaku, who had been working beside you.

“You said it,” he sighed, pausing to remove is own shirt, and as if to emphasize his point, wrung it out. It was absolutely drenched.

“That’s disgusting,” you remarked, laughing at the horrified look on his face.

“You think so?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Catch!”

You had been watching him warily up until that point but barely had time to react to the sodden piece of clothing hurtling at you face. You yelped and dodged out of the way only to find yourself in a pair of sweaty arms.

“Ah, gross!” you cried, struggling to free yourself as Kaku chuckled wickedly, enveloping as much of your body as he could with his own sweat-drenched limbs and chest. A small crowd had gathered around you as men paused in their work to watch the commotion, cheering Kaku on as he wrestled you, laughing, to the ground. Your own laughter filled your ears as you struggling to escape the slimy confines of his arms, but you fought only half-heartedly, enjoying the playful respite from your duties. 

“What’s all this commotion?” came a familiar voice.

Both you and Kaku froze, and you rolled your eyes at him. He chuckled and helped you to your feet, both of you turning to face an angry and red-faced Paulie.

“Disgraceful! I warned Iceburg you’d only be a distraction to the workers and it looks like I was right,” he growled, narrowed gazed fixed on you in a disapproving stare.

You ignored him, turning to Kaku. “Just look at my shirt! I’m completely drenched! And it’s going to take forever to get these dirt stains out…” you sighed.

Kaku only grinned back at you sheepishly. “Heh, sorry about that…”

Paulie did not take to being ignored. “How many times have I told you, [Name]?” he cried, gesturing to your exposed legs. “You can’t just go strutting around in such shameful clothing! This is a man’s workplace!”

You looked at him coolly. “No one else here seems to have a problem with what I wear.” You glanced around at the men gathered around you. “Isn’t that right, boys?”

There were numerous enthusiastic nods and cheers of agreement. Paulie’s face turned a shade darker and he ground his teeth against the cigar protruding from the corner of his lips.

“The neckline on your shirt is far too low! It’s scandalous!”

“Well then,” you said coolly and without warning lifted the hem and pulled the shirt over your head, leaving you in only your bikini top. “Now you won’t have to look at it anymore.” You tossed the shirt into his face and stormed off, followed by another chorus of cheers.

Paulie stood there wordlessly, his face so flushed it was almost purple. “H-hey, wait!” he called after you weakly, but you were long gone by then.

You received many a curious stare as you mad your way to the break room where you kept a change of clothes. You paid no heed though, too busy seething over what Paulie had said to you. You had tried so hard to not let it get to you, but this time he grated your nerves. Why the hell did you suddenly care what he thought of you? What had changed?

Sighing, you reached into your locker to pull out your second shirt with the Galley-La Company logo splashed across the front. But before you could put it on, the door burst open to reveal a flustered looking Paulie. He blushed furiously as he caught sight of your half-dressed state.

“Shit, sorry, I’ll uh…”

“What is it, Paulie?” you sighed exasperatedly, expecting him to begin berating you again for the stunt you pulled earlier. You were pleasantly surprised, however.

“I uh… Just wanted to apologise… For what I said before…” He averted his gaze and blushed deeper. You watched him, amused. He took a deep breath. “I had no right to say those things.”

His sincere tone caught you off guard and left you speechless. Anxious, he looked up at you before quickly turning away again as he realised you were still without a shirt, his cheeks turning such a bright shade of red you were sure he was radioactive. You chuckled and slipped the shirt over your head.

“Better?” you asked.

“Much,” he replied, the colour in his cheeks lessening somewhat. He shifted nervously on his feet. “So…”

“I accept your apology,” you said, relaxing into a smile.

“You do?”

“Yes.” You hesitate slightly before stepping closer to him. He looked up in alarm at your approaching form, taking an involuntary step back. You stopped in front of him and looked into his eyes, holding him there.

“That was really good of you, Paulie. It takes courage to admit you were in the wrong.”

“Uh, r-right,” he said distractedly, suddenly very aware of how close you were. His cheeks flamed with colour as you leaned in closer. Very slowly, and very carefully, you placed a short peck on his cheek.

“Perhaps now we can finally get along,” you said cheerfully, before leaving him, motionless with the slightest trickle of blood pouring from his nose.


End file.
